HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Extra Points: Texans, Steelers, Browns, Vikings

March 20th, 2015 at 10:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

Texans owner Bob McNair is happy with what his front office was able to accomplish in free agency, write John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, particularly with the acquisitions of Brian Hoyer, Vince Wilfork, Rahim Moore, and Cecil Shorts.

“I’ve been quite pleased with free agency. We’ve accomplished what we set out to do. We signed a quarterback and got help in the defensive line. We wanted a free safety with range, more of a centerfielder, and we wanted to add some speed at receiver,” McNair said. “And we were able to retain Kareem, Derek and Mallett. We did it within the cap, and we didn’t sacrifice our future.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • Steelers team president Art Rooney II has been overseeing a much different offseason, but does not expect the team to be extremely active late in the offseaon, writes Mark Kaboly of TribLive.com. “We’re still looking at what the options are, and we’ll continue to do that,” Rooney said. “I think we’re at this point not expecting that there’s going to be a lot more activity out there, but we’re certainly continuing to look. If there’s a player that makes sense for us to pursue, we’ll do that.”
  • The Browns have been spending their money and assets on the defensive side of the ball recently, and their commitment on that side of the ball is evident when analyzing the salary cap numbers by position, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. The Browns are spending a large amount of money on their secondary, both in terms of cornerbacks and safeties, and are also spending significantly at linebacker. However, they are in saving money at quarterback, and more significantly at running back.
  • The Vikings have had lukewarm interest in inside linebacker Brandon Spikes, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter). Wolfson hasn’t heard anything about the team’s interest in fellow linebackers Mason Foster and Rolando McClain, but infers that they might be similarly uninspiring options for the Vikings.

NFC East Notes: RGIII, Mariota, Hardy, Eagles

March 20th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Buccaneers, Titans, and Jets have very clear needs at quarterback, and top prospects Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could represent great options at the top of the draft for those teams. The Jaguars and Raiders hope they filled that hole in the draft last season.

The one team that could possibly go either way is Washington. Even with Robert Griffin III in the fold, if they have the chance to draft Mariota with the fifth pick, it might make sense, writes John Keim in his mailbag for ESPN. Even if the team does draft a quarterback with intention of replacing Griffin, Keim believes both Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy would still have a place on the depth chart.

For the record, he doesn’t see the team getting a chance at either of the two top passers.

Here are some more notes from around the NFC East:

  • Keim has not written off the RGIII era in Washington just yet. He addresses the team’s options should Griffin return to his 2012 Pro Bowl form. Keim writes that the team will engage Griffin in long-term extension talks should he perform at a high level this season, and would be able to franchise the former first-round pick if they cannot come to an agreement. He writes that the only decision coming is whether or not to exercise Griffin’s fifth-year option by May 3rd, at a price tag of about $16MM.
  • After jettisoning DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin off the team over the past two offseasons, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has built a receiving corps focused on more than speed and experience. Kelly places a high priority on other facets of the position, including toughness, blocking, and running hard routes, writes Jeff McClane of Philly.com. He adds that Kelly understands the value of an elite receiver who can get himself open and make difficult catches, but wasn’t ready to pay Maclin as if he was one of the truly elite pass catchers in the league.
  • The Cowboys made a stride to significantly improve their defense by signing Greg Hardy, but the move is met with mixed feelings by many in Texas and across Cowboy nation. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling is among those disappointed in the team, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I’m a big Cowboys fan. I love them to death and I want them to beat the Eagles every time they play,” said Rawlings. “But at some point, being a sports fan gets trumped by being a father, husband, wanting to do what’s right for women, so this is not a good thing. I don’t think I’m going to be buying Hardy jerseys any time soon.”

Draft Notes: Rowe, Carter, Anthony

March 20th, 2015 at 7:41pm CST by Rob DiRe

As teams are setting up their draft boards, many are meeting with prospects to try to learn as much as they can as they prepare for the 2015 NFL Draft.

Here are a few prospects that have visited with organizations, with new updates added to the top:

  • The Dolphins will host Utah defensive back Eric Rowe, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Rowe projects as either a cornerback or a safety depending on which team drafts him, and with good size and speed he could be a impact player later in the draft. Wilson also writes that Rowe will meet with the Ravens, Lions, Buccaneers, and Texans.
  • The Ravens met with Sacramento State receiver DeAndre Carter, writes Wilson. Carter was the top receiver in FCS competition last year, catching 99 passes for over 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns on his way to becoming a first-team All American selection.
  • The Saints worked out Clemson linebacker Stephone Anthony, writes Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter). Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, linebackers coach Joe Vitt, and assistant general manager Jeff Ireland met with Anthony.

Minor Moves: Friday

March 20th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the league, with the latest minor moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Seahawks have re-signed long snapper Clint Gresham, announcing the move on his Instagram account, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). His contract includes $300,000 signing bonus, with the veteran minimum salaries of $745,000, $760,00 and $900,000 over three year, according to Condotta (via Twitter).

Earlier Updates:

  • The Saints have re-signed reserve swing tackle Bryce Harris to a one-year contract, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played a career-high 393 offensive snaps in 2014, starting at left tackle for the Saints down the stretch, but he ranked just 72nd out of 84 qualified tackles, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Harris may play a similar role in 2015, but he probably isn’t a lock to make the roster.
  • Former Northern Arizona punter Andy Wilder, who went undrafted last spring, has signed a contract with the Buccaneers, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). Wilder and Chase Tenpenny may get the opportunity to challenge incumbent punter Michael Koenen for the job this summer.

Jets To Sign Kevin Vickerson

March 20th, 2015 at 5:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have signed defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The 32-year old tackle announced the signing on his Instagram account, writes Cimini.

Vickerson played 15 games with the Chiefs last season, and Cimini compares him to an older Kenrick Ellis (via Twitter).

Vickerson was only on the field for 175 snaps in 2014, logging 15 tackles and no sacks during that time. He still graded out positively against the run in limited playing time, although he lacked a pass rushing presence according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). With Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson both doing more than their fair share in terms of getting after the quarterback, Vickerson will be able to play to his own strengths along the Jets’ defensive line.

Peterson’s Agent Rejects Vikings Meeting

March 20th, 2015 at 5:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adrian Peterson‘s ongoing saga in between NFL snaps continued today, with the latest development wedging the two sides further apart. The running back’s agent, Ben Dogra, declined a meeting request from Vikings GM Rick Spielman, Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson reported.

Spielman sought a dinner summit with Dogra at next week’s owners’ meetings. Despite reports the Vikings do not intend to release their star runner leaving the door open for a potential reunion, Peterson does not appear to want to increase the dialogue. The former top-10 pick, however, did have dinner with owners Mark and Zygi Wilf earlier this month, but sources told Robinson he is unhappy in Minnesota.

The Cardinals are considering offering a second-round pick for Peterson, according to Robinson, and giving the disgruntled ball-carrier a new contract.

This latest chapter pushes the sides closer to an impasse. Peterson’s contract takes up a team-high $13MM+ of the Vikings’ 2015 cap with that number set to rise to $17MM in 2017, the final year of his current deal. Teams are not keen on allocating those kind of funds to running backs in 2015.

Peterson turns 30 tomorrow, but the ex-Oklahoma superstar essentially bypassed a year of punishment. He’s rushed for at least 10 touchdowns in each of his seven full seasons and averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry in all but one full season.

The Cardinals’ highest-paid running backs, Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington, are set to occupy barely $1.2MM of cap space between them. The team has just more than $9MM worth of room under its 2015 financial ceiling right now, according to OverTheCap.

The 26-year-old Ellington may be better suited for change-of-pace work at 199 pounds and the yards-per-rush disparity between the 2013 sixth-round pick’s two seasons, the first as a complement rusher and the second as Arizona’s primary carrier. Ellington averaged 5.5 yards per tote as a rookie but just 3.3 last year before going down with a season-ending sports hernia malady.

Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon remain the Vikings’ current contingency plans in the event of a Peterson exit.

 

NFL Investigates Jets’ Pursuit Of Revis

March 20th, 2015 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

On March 8, Day 2 of “soft free agency,” an NFL investigator visited the Jets’ facilities Florham Park, N.J., to interview GM Mike Maccagnan and other Jets front office members about their pursuit of Darrelle Revis, the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta reports.

Mehta, who said owner Woody Johnson was not interviewed, called this investigation a “witch hunt” stemming from the Patriots’ tampering charge based on Johnson’s pro-Revis sentiments expressed in a December 2014 interview.

Mehta’s sources indicated New England was out on Revis a full day before the Jets eventually reacquired the dominant cornerback on a five-year, $70MM deal, while he goes on to cite New York’s financial and location advantages before delving into the Patriots’ rapid 2014 signing of Revis hours after his release from the Buccaneers.

CSN New England’s Tom Curran disagrees, calling the Patriots’ accusation legitimate with the Jets owner clearly violating the tampering rules with his desire to see Revis return. Johnson’s December comments about the then-Pats employee displays “blissful ignorance” of the rules, Curran asserts.

It’s clear the soon-to-be 30-year-old corner’s latest transaction didn’t exactly soothe tensions between the rivals.

AFC Notes: Delmas, Broncos, Steelers

March 20th, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some notes from the AFC on Friday.

Contract Details: Bush, Richardson, Guy

March 20th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some details about contracts signed or agreed to within the last few days:

Reggie Bush, RB (49ers): One year, $2.2MM base value. $500K signing bonus. $1.1MM guaranteed. $100K workout bonus (via CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora on Twitter).

Trent Richardson, RB (Raiders): Two years, $3.45MM base value. $600K fully guaranteed. Can earn extra $400K in per-game roster bonuses (notes ESPN’s Adam Caplan on Twitter)

Lawrence Guy, DE (Ravens): Two years, $2.3MM base value. $500K to sign. (via Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson).

East Notes: Bills, Gresham, Barwin, Scandrick

March 20th, 2015 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

As the working week winds down, let’s round up a handful of Friday updates out of the NFL’s two East divisions….

  • Charles Clay was arguably the Bills‘ top target in free agency this month, and the team made sure that they landed him by signing him to an offer sheet that the Dolphins were unwilling to match. However, Clay wasn’t the only tight end the team was considering. According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, the Bills were “giving serious thought” to signing Jermaine Gresham before he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc. Per Carucci’s source, the club would even have been willing to add both Clay and Gresham to the roster, if the former Bengal had been healthy.
  • Speaking to Howard Eskin on 94WIP in Philadelphia, outside linebacker Connor Barwin, who just received a new deal from the Eagles, said he’d like to play out the rest of his career in Philadelphia. Barwin estimated that he has another “four to six” years left in the NFL, as Andrew Porter of CBS Philly details.
  • Orlando Scandrick, the Cowboys‘ top cornerback, is scheduled to make just $10.5MM over the next four seasons, prompting Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com to wonder if the team should address Scandrick’s contract. As a point of comparison, Archer focuses on Keenan Lewis‘ situation in New Orleans, where the Saints didn’t increase Lewis’ overall pay, but guaranteed a good chunk of his salary and improved his cash flow.
  • Earlier this afternoon, the Dolphins re-signed safety Louis Delmas and running back LaMichael James.
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